I gave testimony today at the City Council, and this is the essence
of what was said.

The issue of litter and trash in Oakland is about human dignity. The
elderly, long-time residents of Oakland deserve to live with dignity
in a clean and healthy environment.

Our grassroots movement began at a kitchen table. Across from me was
a 77 year-old long time resident whose husband died of cancer, whose
son died of cancer, who lives with a son that is legally blind, and who
has a daughter with multiple sclerosis.

She began to tell me the horrifying stories of students throwing litter
and trash into her yard, of students throwing feces into her neighbor’s
yard, of students living in filthy conditions, of students having parties
until 2 and 3 in the morning and of a student who told her daughter, “This
neighborhood doesn’t belong to you anymore, this neighborhood is
ours.”

That kind of story can be replicated hundreds of times by Oakland’s
long-rime residents, but many of them suffer in silence. They have lost
hope that anything will be done.

It was a defining moment for me. I could have remained silent and just
walked away and done nothing, instead I decided to start a grassroots
movement that would focus on creating a clean environment in Oakland
and lay the foundation for ending these problems.

We asked Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg for financial assistance, and
he refused. He told us these are the community’s problems. He told
us to start a Neighborhood Improvement District.

We asked Jeffrey Romoff, CEO of UPMC, for financial assistance, and
he refused. As you are aware, the foundation for the growth of UPMC began
in Oakland.

We wrote five letters to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl asking for his help in
obtaining financial assistance from Pitt and UPMC, because these institutions
must take greater responsibility for ending the problems. He remained
silent.

Some of you supported us and we are deeply grateful. We are asking you,
either individually or collectively, to give greater support to our community.
You do not need an ordinance to end an injustice. You only need your
own conscience and a willingness to do the right thing, simply because
it is the right thing to do.

Our grassroots movement will continue to take action after action until
the tide of this disgrace is reversed, and the long-time residents of
Oakland can live with dignity.